THEBUSINESSBYTES
BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR,
SEPTEMBER 29, 2026
A bamboo farmer from
Odisha's Mayurbhanj district and the Odisha Bamboo Development Agency (OBDA) on
Tuesday received the PRAMAAN Certificate under the Indian Forest & Wood
Certification Scheme (IFWCS), marking a significant step towards strengthening
the state's farm-grown bamboo value chain.
The certificate was
awarded by Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender
Yadav at an event attended by MoEFCC Secretary Tanmay Kumar and Director
General of Forests Sushil Kumar Awasthi, besides other senior officials.
Gobinda Mahapatra, a
bamboo farmer from Laxmiposi, Gobardhansul in Mayurbhanj, and Karthick V, IFS,
Mission Director, OBDA, received the certification.
The certification
covers Trees Outside Forests Management and Chain of Custody (TOFM-CoC) for
14.03 hectares spread across four plots in Gobardhansul and Ranibhol. The
certified bamboo species include Bambusa vulgaris, Bambusa nutans and
Dendrocalamus strictus, which are commercially used in construction and furniture.
The certification
process was audited by a certification body accredited by the National
Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB).
The certification is
expected to enhance the market credibility of Odisha's farm-grown bamboo by
assuring buyers that the produce is legally and sustainably sourced. It could
also facilitate access to premium domestic and export markets, providing
greater opportunities for bamboo growers.
The initiative was funded, coordinated and supported by the Odisha Bamboo Development Agency through the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Bhopal.
The achievement reflects OBDA's efforts to promote sustainable bamboo cultivation, strengthen farmer livelihoods and develop Odisha as an emerging hub for the bamboo sector, officials said.
